Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: Attack on the Italian Fleet at…

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Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: Attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto

AssociatedAssociated with Lord Mountbatten of Burma (Frogmore House, Windsor, England, 1900 - 1979)

Medallist John Pinches, Medallists

DateMay 2004

Object NameMedal

MediumSterling Silver

ClassificationsMedals

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDMS072500.94

Keywords

Commemorative

About MeThe attack on the Italian Fleet under Admiral Inigo Camioni at Taranto on 11th November, 1940 brought to fruition the policy adopted in the Royal Navy over the previous 20 years of building aircraft carriers to introduce a new-and what proved to be a decisive-element in sea warfare.

When Italy entered the war in June the situation of the British Commander in Chief in the Mediterranean, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, was that of a commander of a fleet inferior in numbers, but superior in morale and armament. His prime aim was the defence of Malta, while that of the Italians was to maintain contact with their army in Libya. Both General Wavell and Admiral Cunningham were on the defensive because Britain herself was facing the threat of invasion. The latter had under his command two battleships and the old aircraft carrier Eagle with Swordfish torpedo planes and Gladiator bombers (commonly called Stringbags) on board.

On 1st September 1940 the situation was improved with the arrival of the carrier Illustrious (Captain D.W. Boyd), and a month later three long-range Glenn-Martin Maryland aircraft. Cunningham could now strike at the six Italian battleships in Taranto harbour. The Illustrious was ordered to proceed alone to attack with 21 aircraft in two waves. These comparatively slow machines would have to penetrate a balloon barrage and face a formidable volume of gunfire from ships and batteries.

The first wave of 12 planes was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Kenneth Wilkinson, the second by Lieutenant Commander J.W. Hale. In the actual attack, in spite of a hail of fire, only two aircraft were brought down, one being that of Wilkinson, who became a prisoner. But when the attack was over, the battleship Littorio had been sunk by three torpedo hits, two battleships of the Giulio Cesare class were put out of action for six months and the Cavour damaged beyond repair. The Italian Fleet retired to Naples, and Malta was safe for the time being.

The historic importance of the Taranto raid was that it marked the opening of a new era in warfare at sea. The age of the battleship and the big gun was over; that of the aircraft carrier had begun. The raid encouraged the Japanese to plan a similar attack on Pearl Harbour a year later, and in the war in the Pacific, battles would soon be fought far out of the range of the guns of battleships.

The Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea, John Pinches Medallists Ltd.